Many pan-Indian films turn into major disasters when they are backed by weak scripts and poor writing. In recent years, films such as Liger, Game Changer, Indian 2, Kanguva and The Raja Saab have been cited as examples. These are only a few names from a much longer list.
But Toxic could potentially create a new and worrying trend for big-budget pan-Indian films.
Until now, major pan-Indian films have rarely seen their agreed OTT value being drastically reduced after theatrical release. Such cuts have generally been associated with medium- and small-budget films that failed at the box office.
With Toxic, however, that pattern could be changing.
The Yash-starrer was released with huge expectations but ended up as one of the major theatrical disappointments in recent Indian cinema. The losses are reportedly running into hundreds of crores.
Now, a Bollywood website has reported that a leading OTT platform, which had initially agreed to acquire the film after its theatrical run, is offering only around Rs 50 crore.
The original deal was reportedly valued at around Rs 150 crore. According to the report, OTT players initially negotiated at around Rs 30 crore and have now increased the offer to the Rs 50 crore range.
If the report is accurate, the reduction is significant.
A fall from an expected Rs 150 crore to around Rs 50 crore would have a major impact on the film’s overall economics.
More importantly, if the producer eventually closes the deal at such a reduced price, it could set an uncomfortable precedent for future pan-Indian films.
Producers and distributors across Telugu, Tamil, Kannada and Hindi cinema could face tougher OTT negotiations if big-budget films fail to perform theatrically.
For an industry that increasingly depends on theatrical, satellite and OTT rights to recover massive production costs, Toxic could prove to be an important warning sign.
